Automatic spring tension varying means



June 3, 1952 D. MARTIN 2,599,403

AUTOMATIC SPRING TENSION VARYING MEANS Filed Oct. 8, 1949 2Sl-lEETS-SI-IEET l I .z N h III II F lg. I

INVENTOR.

DELMAS MRTIN ATTORNEY June 3, 1952 D. MARTIN AUTOMATIC SPRING TENSIONVARYING MEANS 2 SI-IEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1949 INVENTOR. DELMASMARTIN ATTORNEY Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED stares PATENT; oFF cEAUTOMATIC SPRING TENSION VARYING MEANS Delmas- Martin, Lamar, Colo.

applicatibnfictober 8, 1949, SerialNo. 120,259

5 Claims. 1:

This invention relates to means automatically and continuously operableto vary the tension of an actuating spring as an incident of cyclicspring reaction, and more particularly to means susceptible of operativeassociation with conventional spinner-type game and hazard devicescommonly known as slot-machines to alter the effective tension of thespinner-actuating spring element thereof in automatic reaction to playof the machine, and has as an object to provide a simpl and improvedadjunct adapted for such use and purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forvarying the tension of an actuating spring constructed and arranged forconvenient mounting on and in operative relation with pertinent elementsof conventional "slot-machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forvarying the tension of an actuating spring that is fully automatic inefiecti've operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forvarying the tension of an actuating spring synchronously with and as areflection of eachspring operating cycle.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forvarying the tension of an actuating spring that is simple andinexpensive of construction, facile of operative installation,

positive and eiiicient in operation, and readily adaptable to variousconditions and occasions of use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists inthe construction, arrangement, and combination of elements ashereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of aconventional "slot-machine with a back cover portion broken away todisclose an operative installation of the improved spring tensionvarying means therein. Figure 2 is a fragmentary, detail elevation, onan enlarged scale, of the installation according to Figurezl. Figure 3is atop plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is aside elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is afragmentary, detail section, taken substantially on the indicated line5-5 of Figure 4.

Certain mechanical arrangements particularly exemplified by theso-called slot-machines include an actuatingspring susceptible of beingmanually or otherwise loaded and then released for desired operativeeffectdeterrninativ'e of play or other end results. In certaininstances; and especially inthe operation of game and hazard devices, avariation in the effective'output ot the loaded actuating spring and aconsequent unpredictable variation in the results deriving from thspring loading is significant and d'csirable, and the instant inventionis hencedi rected to the provision of an attachment convenient ofoperative association with an actuating spring and automaticallyreactive to leading and release of the spring to eiiect variation intl-i'etension thereof.

Typical of a preferred use and installation of the improvement, aconventional "slot machine? is represented as a closed cabinet I0 risingfrom a base i I and mounting an exterior operating handle t2 arranged,through means not shown, to arcuately oscillate andrelease a rock-shaftI? journaled transversely of the cabinet H) on a rigid frame Minteriorly of said cabinet as and when it is arcuately manipulated. Afixed, radial projection I6 of the rock-shaft i3 is linked by means ofan extensible and retractible actuating spring H to a transverse memberl8- oftl' e' frame l4 spacedly and upwardly paralleling the 'rock shaft,so that reaction of the latter tolnanipulation of the handle l2 operatesto increase the tension in, and to load, the spring H which is thusconditioned to return the rock-shaft to its initial position whenreleased by said handle, such return oscillation of the rock-,shaf tfunctioning, through means and connections not illustrated and by virtueof thespring l 1 loading. to set in motion the elements determinative ofend results. The force initiative of machine element' operation beingthe tension of the spring II, it is readily apparent that automaticvariation of such tension separate and apart from the'loading imposedthrough thehandle I-Zj will introduce an unpredictable variation in suchforce and the end results therefrom deriving and preclude theeffectiveness of manipulative control sought to be exercised through thehandle l2, and such' automatic variation in the spring I! .tension andforce output is effectively had throughthe agency of the attachmentshown and hereinafter described.

A suitable rigid frame plateis formed with. a base flange l9 arranged tobear against and be bolted to the horizontal flange of the frame member18 above the spring I! and an angularly related web 20 disposablesubstantially radially or the rock-shaft I13 when said flange [9' issecured to the member l8. Spacedly-parallel blocks 2| W-.. 3 are securedalong and to outstand from the vertical margins of the web on the upperportion of the latter and engage with a closure plate 22 provided withspaced, depending legs 23 whereof the lower ends are formed as tongues24 slidably engaged through slots in the flange l9, thus completing avertically-disposed, box-like throat fixed and frame-mounted above thespring I! upper end. A shaft 25 journaled in lower portions of theblocks 2| spacedly parallels the rock-shaft l3 and extends at one endbeyond the adjacent block 2| to projectingly overhang the end of theframe member [8, and a worm 26 is fixed to and for rotation with saidshaft 25 between the blocks 2|. A ratchet-toothed wheel 21 is fixed tothe projecting end of the shaft 25 and a lever 28 is looselyend-journaled on and to project radially from said shaft adjacent saidwheel, so that a spring-loaded detent 29 carried by the lever 28 ispositioned to mesh with the teeth of the wheel 21 and to rotate thelatter when the lever 28 is moved in one direction and to ratchet oversaid teeth without rotation of the wheel when the lever is moved in theother direction. An arm 30 is adjustably clamped to and to extendradially from the end of the rock-shaft [3 below the wheel 21 and a link3| hingedly interconnects the free ends of the lever 28 and arm 30, sothat oscillation of said rock-shaft under the influence of the handle l2or spring I! is reflected as corresponding, proportioned oscillation ofthe lever '28 to the end that said lever may operate through its detent29 to rotate the wheel 21, and the shaft 25 and worm 26 fixedlyassociated therewith, as the rock-shaft reacts to the force of theloaded spring I! and swing freely relative to and without rotatlveeffect upon said wheel when the rock-shaft reacts to handle 12manipulation. Meshing with and rotatively reactive to the worm gear 32is housed between the web 20, blocks 2i, and plate 22 on a shaftjournaled for rotation in said Web and plate above and inaxially-perpendicular relation with the shaft 25, one end of the shaftmounting the gear 32 projecting through and beyond the plate 22 tofixedly mount a crankplate 33 for rotation synchronously with said gear.A stud or pin 34 outstands from and in eccentric disposition on theplate 33 for the pivotal mounting of one end of a link 35 therebydisposed to depend toward the fixed end of the spring l1, and aretractile spring 36 connects the lower end of the link 35 with theprojection 16 of the rockshaft whereto the movable end of the spring I!is attached, thus disposing the spring 36 in supplementing relation withthe spring ll. As is manifest, the spring 36 may be omitted and theupper end of the spring I! transferred from its connection with theframe member I8 to direct attachment to the link 35 lower end whenelement design and arrangements permit, but with a considerableeccentric throw introduced by the plate 33 and a powerful spring I! oflimited extensibility, use of the supplemental spring 36 is practicaland appropriate.

Whether directly connected to and for variation in the tension of thespring I! or arranged, as shown, to utilize the supplemental,variabletension spring 36, the improvement functions to accomplish itspurpose of varying the actuating spring tension in a rather obviousmanner. With the elements of the attachment constructed, mounted, andconnected as shown and described, each manipulation of the handle l2oscillates the rock-shaft l3 the usual amount, loads the springs i1 and36, and swings the lever '28 about the shaft 25 without rotation of saidshaft and to a new engagement of the detent 29 with the ratchet teeth ofthe wheel 21. Upon release of the rock-shaft [3 from engagement with thehandle [2, the power of the loaded springs 11 and 36 returns the shaftto its original position and effects the appropriate machine elementoperation, while at the same time the shaft return acts through the arm30, link 3i, lever 28 and detent 29 to rotate the wheel 21, andconsequently the shaft 25 and worm 26, through an angle proportioned tothe rock-shaft oscillation, such rotation of the worm 26 effecting arotative reaction through the gear 32 and plate 33 which serves toangularly displace the eccentric pin or stud 34 for alteration in thelength of spring 36 extension, thus varying the tension of the spring 11and 36 combination. Were the spring 36 omitted and the spring I!connected directly to the link 35, operation of the improvement would beexactly the same in effect, though different in degree.

While the improvement has been shown and described as applied to and inoperative association with a particular mechanism, it is apparent thatit is applicable to functioning with identical effect in a variety ofmechanical organizations, and since changes, variations, andmodifications in the form, construction and arrangement of the elementsshown and described may be had Without departing from the spirit of theinvention, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scopeof the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrativeshowing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a rock-shaft having a radial projection, anactuating spring serving said projection to normally retain therockshaft at one limit of its oscillation, and means for oscillatingsaid rock-shaft against the tension of and to load said spring, of meansoperatively interlinking said rock-shaft and the end of the springremote therefrom for automatically varying the tension of said actuatingspring as an incident of rock-shaft oscillation.

2. In combination with a rock-shaft having a radial projection, anactuating spring serving said projection to normally retain therockshaft at one limit of its oscillation, and means for oscillatingsaid rock-shaft against the tension of and to load said spring, arotatable, eccentric-pin connection for the end of said spring remotefrom the rock-shaft, and means between the rock-shaft and saidconnection for progressively rotating said connection as an incident ofrock-shaft oscillation, whereby to automatically vary the springtension.

3. In combination with a rock-shaft having a radial projection, anactuating spring serving said projection to normally retain therockshaft at one limit of its oscillation, a fixed connection for theend of said spring remote from said rock-shaft, and means foroscillating said rock-shaft against the tension of and to-load saidspring, means for automatically varying the effective tension of saidspring as an incident of rock-shaft oscillation, said means comprising asupplemental spring end-connected with said projection, a rotatable,eccentric-pin connection for the end of the supplemental spring remotefrom the rock-shaft, and means between the rock-shaft and saidconnection for progressively rotating said connection as an incident ofrockshaft oscillation.

4. The organization according to claim, 2,

wherein said rotatable, eccentric-pin connection comprises a shaftjournaled for rotation in spaced, axially-perpendicular relation withthe rock-shaft, a plate on one end of said shaft, a pin outstanding fromand eccentrically of said plate, a link pivotally depending from saidpin and connecting with the spring free end, a worm gear on said shaft,a worm in driving relation with said gear, and ratchet meansinterlinking said Worm and rock-shaft for the rotative advance of theformer during return oscillation of the latter.

5. The organization according to claim 2, wherein said rotatable,eccentric-pin connection comprises a shaft journaled for rotation inspaced, axially-perpendicular relation with the rock-shaft, a plate onone end of said shaft, a pin outstanding from and eccentrically of saidplate, a link pivotally depending from said pin and connecting with thespring free end, a worm gear on said shaft, and a worm in drivingrelation with said gear spacedly paralleling the rock-shaft, and themeans for rotating said connection as an incident of rock-shaftoscillation comprises a ratchet-toothed wheel on and for the rotation ofsaid worm, a ratchet detent lever swingable about the Worm axis incooperation with said wheel, an arm on and radially of the rock-shaftbeneath said lever, and a link hingedly connecting the free ends of saidarm and lever.

DELMAS MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,150,576 Bell Mar. 14, 1939 202,316,626 Rothwell Apr. 13, 1943

